


Derek's Domestic Services (aka Domestic Escort!Derek)

by machtaholic (cinderella81)



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Domestic, First Dates, First Kiss, M/M, Minor Character Death, Park Ranger Derek, domestic escort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-16
Updated: 2015-08-16
Packaged: 2018-04-15 03:07:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4590711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinderella81/pseuds/machtaholic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Domestic services available, special additions upon request.  Excellent cook.  Available early mornings or evenings after 6.  Contact DH at dds@h.mail.com to make arrangements.”</p>
<p>It started off as a joke, then as a way to make extra money, pay for Peter's convalescent care ... being what he called 'a domestic escort', cooking his clients breakfast or dinner, playing the part of the boyfriend up until the point it reached the bedroom.  He ended up gaining a large group of friends and ... perhaps something more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Derek's Domestic Services (aka Domestic Escort!Derek)

“Domestic services available, special additions upon request.   
Excellent cook. Available early mornings or evenings after 6.   
Contact DH at dds@h.mail.com to make arrangements.”

It had started off as a way to earn some extra money, almost a joke. Laura, it had always been Laura, placed an ad for him in some very specific magazines, worded it in such a way to know what to ask for. When he’d gotten the first couple of emails, he’d yelled at his sister, asking what she’d been thinking, what kind of joke she was playing.

Laura, it turned out, had been pretty smart. Derek actually enjoyed the work; and the extra cash it brought in had helped a lot. He’d graduated college free of the normal school loan debt, been able to afford the things that most college students couldn’t. He’d ended up thanking his sister.

He’d gained a fairly steady clientele, had been making really good money. Then the accident happened; a drunk driver came out of nowhere and t-boned Laura’s car. Derek had survived - Laura hadn’t. Derek spent two weeks in the hospital recovering and when he’d finally been released, he shut down his business and secluded himself in the apartment he’d shared with his sister. 

One of his clients finally got Derek to open his door and convinced him to move on. So Derek sold his car, sold the apartment, packed up his belongings and had moved back to the one place he had never planned on returning to. Beacon Hills.

He purchased a house in town, far from where he’d lived as a child, put Laura’s things in storage and made his house in town a home. He puttered around Beacon Hills for a couple of weeks, until he realized that he was going to go stir crazy if he didn’t get a job. He didn’t want to work in retail, certainly didn’t want to work at the Sheriff’s department; but when he saw a posting for a park ranger position, he applied.

He discovered he enjoyed working as a park ranger, spending time in the Preserve (but nowhere near his old property). But the fees for his uncle’s care in the convalescent hospital started pile up and Derek knew he needed to find a second source of income. So, he dusted off his old ad from his days in New York, reworked his schedule with Park Services, placed the ad in a newspaper where he knew he’d get clients, and then … he waited.

He didn’t have to wait long.

***One Year Later***

The sun had just started to rise as Derek rode his bicycle through Beacon Hills, headed towards the outskirts of town where one of his clients lived. He parked on the side of the house and let himself into the house using the key hidden in a potted plant on the front porch. The house was dark as Derek set his backpack by the front door and made his way up the stairs.

At the second floor, Derek turned left and headed for the small room where he knew his client was sleeping. Chris had a daughter in college and two years earlier had lost his wife; whenever he scheduled an appointment with Derek, he never slept in the master bedroom. 

Derek cracked the door and smiled at the sight of Chris sprawled out on the queen size bed, bedsheet shoved down around his waist. He pushed the door open and entered the room quietly, standing over the bed for a minute before playfully smacking Chris on the ass.

Chris jerked awake and rolled over, blinking up at Derek. “Jackass,” Chris mumbled.

“You’re the one who wanted a morning appointment,” Derek replied. “To have, and I quote, a dawn jog and a hearty breakfast, end quote. The sun is just starting to rise, so here I am.”

Chris grumbled as he slid out of bed and padded over to the dresser where his running gear was, where he quickly got dressed. “You’re too chipper,” he muttered.

Derek shrugged from his spot leaning against the doorjamb. “I rode my bike here, so my endorphins are already flowing,” he replied. “Get moving and we’ll get your endorphins moving too so you won’t be so grumpy.”

“I’ll show you grumpy,” Chris retorted as he finished tying his shoes and crossed the room, brushing past Derek on his way out. “Five mile run?”

“Sounds good,” Derek replied, slinging an arm across Chris’ shoulders as they made their way downstairs and out the front door. They descended the porch and took off on their run - they’d done this loop many a time, always the same, always in silence.

Once the run was done and they were back at the house, Chris went upstairs to shower and get ready for work. Derek stripped down to his boxer briefs, located the ‘Kiss the Cook’ apron and started to make breakfast and pack Chris a lunch. Derek made a heart healthy breakfast; egg white omelettes with mushroom, tomato and spinach with half a grapefruit and a mug of coffee (decaf).

“Something smells good,” Chris said as he entered the kitchen, moving to stand behind Derek. “Omelettes?”

Derek hummed and nodded, leaning back as he felt Chris’ arms around his waist. “Healthy ones, too,” he said. “And some coffee.” 

“You’re the best,” Chris said, pressing a kiss to Derek’s cheek before sitting down at the table to eat. 

Derek set his own breakfast down next to Chris’ before moving to the fridge to pack Chris a lunch. “What do you feel like for lunch?” he asked as he opened the fridge.

“Nothing fancy,” Chris replied.

“Salad and fruit it is,” Derek teased as he went to work making Chris a meatloaf sandwich from the leftovers in the fridge.

“I’m eating healthy now so I can eat like crap later,” Chris said between bites.

“You’re still getting fruit,” Derek said as he cut up two apples. “But you’re also getting meatloaf, so -”

“A good balance,” Chris finished. “Come sit.”

Derek set Chris’ lunch on the kitchen island, removed his apron and sat down at the table next to Chris, his shoulder brushing Chris’. The rest of the breakfast passed in companionable silence, Chris’ hand resting on Derek’s thigh as they ate. Derek hand long ago realized that Chris sometimes just needed something similar to what he’d had with his wife; a little banter and some caring.

When the plates were empty, Derek cleared the table and washed all the dishes before getting dressed. He passed Chris his lunch and together they walked to the front door.

“All right, make sure you actually eat lunch,” Derek said he and Chris stood on the front porch. “I know you get busy and forget.”

Chris chuckled and nodded. “I’ll remember to eat, promise,” he said, reaching out and giving Derek’s hand a quick squeeze; the cul-de-sac was busier, more neighbors milling around. 

Derek grinned and released Chris’ hand, making his way down down the porch steps. “Have a good day, Chris,” he called.

“You too!” Chris called back.

***

A few days later, Derek made his way to the opposite side of town from Chris, to the less affluent, more working class side. He parked his bike out front of the small, slightly rundown, house and hefted his backpack as he made his way inside. The indie rock blaring from the stereo speakers was loud, but not too loud, and Derek turned it down a bit as he made his way into the kitchen.

“Better be doing homework, Isaac!” Derek called as he unpacked the fixings for dinner. Where Chris only made an appointment once or twice a month, Isaac made appointments once a week at least. It took Derek weeks of appointments to break through Isaac’s defenses so he could figure out what Isaac really needed. Isaac had become an emancipated minor when he was sixteen, escaping from an abusive father - he got State assistance and was putting himself through nursing school. Derek gave him a steep discount for his services.

“I am! Almost done,” Isaac called back.

Derek grinned and began getting things ready in the kitchen; Isaac was a fan of his homemade macaroni and cheese. As he worked on getting dinner going, he could hear Isaac putting things away and puttering around his bedroom.

“Mac and cheese?” Isaac asked as he entered the kitchen. 

“You know it,” Derek said, catching Isaac and pulling him in for a hug, pressing a kiss to Isaac’s hair. It had taken many a session before Derek could touch Isaac without the younger man flinching - Isaac was touch starved yet clearly scared he’d be hit.

“Awesome,” Isaac replied, leaning against Derek for a second before going to set the table. 

“How were classes today?” Derek asked.

“Challenging, but good,” Isaac replied. “Teachers all say I’m doing well.”

“And work?” Derek continued as he drained the macaroni and added the homemade cheese sauce. He knew that Isaac worked part time at the bookstore on campus to get some extra income. 

“Boring.” Isaac moved back over to watch Derek finish fixing dinner, laughing when Derek pulled him in close for a hug.

“Bet you got some homework done, though,” Derek replied as he fixed a couple of plates, passing one to Isaac as they headed to the table to eat.

“Some, yeah,” Isaac said, brushing his hair out of the way as he dug into dinner.

“I’m going to bring you a headband next week,” Derek teased as he ate. “Those curls of yours have a mind of their own.”

“I’m too busy,” Isaac mumbled. “After finals.”

“Okay,” Derek replied. They finished dinner, cleared the table and washed the dishes before heading into the living room. They curled up on the couch together and Isaac pulled the basket out of the storage bin inside the foot stool. Isaac took out the dark blue chenille scarf he’d been working on and passed Derek the burgundy scarf Derek was working on.

“I’ve got more done than you,” Isaac teased as they each went to work.

“Because I only work on mine when I’m here,” Derek replied, turning his attention to his knitting. Derek had found that Isaac had a love of scarves, but not a lot of money, so he’d taught the younger man to knit so he could make his own. It had become part of their nighttime routine.

The later it got, the more tired Isaac got, until he dropped his knitting tiredly. “‘s my time up?” Isaac asked sleepily.

“No, not yet,” Derek said kindly. He took Isaac’s knitting and put everything away back in the foot stool before helping Isaac stand. He helped Isaac into the bedroom, out of his clothes and into bed, covering Isaac with the sheets and pressing a kiss to Isaac’s forehead. “Now time’s up,” he whispered.

“‘kay,” Isaac mumbled, rolling onto his side. “See you l’ter.”

“I’ll see you later,” Derek said, closing the door behind him. He quietly packed up his things and left the house, being sure to lock the door behind him before hopping on his bike and heading home.

***

When the weather started getting colder, Derek stopped riding his bicycle everywhere; it was hard to steer when you couldn’t feel your fingers. His beat up Chevy truck got more mileage during the winter, but it was worth it for heat.

Jennifer Blake used his services more during the winter than any other season, making appointments twice a month like clockwork. Derek grinned to himself as he parked in the alley behind her small townhouse and let himself into the backdoor using the key she’d hidden for him. 

The house was quiet; Jennifer was a teacher over at the high school and stayed after a bit to finish her lesson plans. Derek knew that she was purposely staying later so they could play out their little scene. He started a fire in the fireplace, lit candles in the living room, turned on some soft music and padded into the kitchen to get dinner ready.

He had dinner done and on the table by the time the garage door opened. “Long day?” he asked when he heard the door from the garage to the kitchen open and close.

“The longest.” Jennifer set her stuff down on the hutch by the door to the garage and snuggled up to Derek’s side. “Unruly kids, homework and tests to grade, not to mention lesson plans to finish.”

“Sounds like you could use a glass of wine and a nice dinner,” Derek said.

“That does sound wonderful,” Jennifer agreed, taking the large glass of red wine and following Derek into the small dining room where dinner was waiting.

Derek held Jennifer’s chair for her, before sitting down next to her, quietly sipping his wine and eating as Jennifer talked about her day. Jennifer was one of his more mellow clients; her wants and needs were simple. He glanced over at the opposite wall and saw the various pictures of Jennifer and her significant other Kali - Jennifer was the only client of Derek’s that was in a relationship.

It wasn’t something Derek had actually be prepared for. He remembered that the first meeting had actually been with both Jennifer and Kali; they’d wanted confirmation that there would be nothing sexual. Kali and Jennifer were deeply in love, Derek could see, but Kali had a way about her that didn’t necessarily scream domesticity. It looked as though Jennifer was the one who was more of the homemaker, and while she was happy with that, needed a night or two where she didn’t have to keep house.

When dinner was done, Derek stood and cleared the table, pressing a kiss to Jennifer’s temple. “Go pick a movie,” he said. “And I’ll get everything else ready.” Once Jennifer had left the dining room, Derek headed to the kitchen to do the dishes and make the hot cocoa.

He padded into the living room to find Jennifer already sitting on the couch, tucked under a blanket, tv showing the menu screen for ‘Love Actually’. He chuckled and set the tray with the hot cocoa on the ottoman before climbing under the blanket and pulling Jennifer close. “Hot cocoa?” he offered.

“Don’t mind if I do,” Jennifer replied, reaching for one of the mugs. “Ready for the movie?”

“Of course I am,” Derek replied, grabbing his own mug.

Jennifer smiled and hit ‘play’, tucking herself against Derek as the movie played. Derek wrapped an arm around her, letting his fingers rub soft circles on her right bicep. When their mugs of hot cocoa were empty, he set them on the coffee table and wrapped the blanket tighter around the two of them, tucking Jennifer against him. Once the movie was over, Derek got off the couch, gently laying Jennifer down on the couch and tucking the blanket around her.

He blew out the candles and put out the fire in the fireplace before gathering the mugs and heading to the kitchen to clean up. He washed all the dishes and put everything away before heading back into the living room and checking on Jennifer. She was out cold, which made Derek grin. “Time’s up,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to her hair before letting himself out.

He ran into Kali as he was heading to his truck and gave her a friendly nod.

“Leftovers?” Kali asked with a small smile.

“In the oven, keeping warm,” Derek said. “She’s sleeping on the couch.”

Kali nodded and passed Derek on her way in, shaking Derek’s hand. “Thanks,” she said. 

“Have a good night,” Derek replied quietly as he climbed into his truck and headed home.

***

It was very early when Derek pulled up outside his most demanding client’s house. When Lydia Martin first began using his services, he was nothing more than a pack mule, muscle to carry all her bags from when she spent the money her father pushed on her to make up for being a horribly distant father. Sessions with Lydia were normally full days, sometimes two if they spent too long in the city shopping, so Lydia booked their sessions for weekends.

He knocked on Lydia’s door and gave her a smile when she opened the door. “Your chariot awaits, fair maiden,” he teased.

“If you think we’re going in your crappy pickup truck, you’ve got another thing coming,” Lydia retorted with a grin.

Derek laughed and grabbed his overnight bag out of the truck. “I brought a bag just in case,”he said.

“Well, it all depends,” Lydia said. “I have an appointment at The Red Chair when they open, then there’s plenty of shopping to be done.”

“Thank goodness I brought a couple books,” Derek replied, waiting as Lydia grabbed her bag, then following her to the black sedan in the driveway.

“Won’t need them,” Lydia breezed as she slipped behind the wheel.

Derek frowned as he slid into the passenger seat. “Lydia,” he said slowly. 

“You have an appointment too,” Lydia said. “And we’re getting you a few new things while we’re out.”

Derek’s frown deepened. “Lydia, we both know that’s not how this works,” he said.

“Oh hush, you’re still getting your regular fee,” Lydia said, patting Derek on the arm. “But I like to treat my friends to things, so today while I’m treating myself, I’m going to treat you.”

“All the while letting me carry all the bags,” Derek replied as they set off.

“Of course,” Lydia replied.

The drive into San Francisco was pleasant, filled with music and chatter between the two of them. Derek almost forgot what Lydia had planned until they pulled into the parking structure in the shopping district. He made sure he had his wallet and followed Lydia from the parking structure and down the street. He wrapped an arm around Lydia’s shoulders and pulled her close, playing the part of protective boyfriend. He knew Lydia could handle herself, could send most men running with just a glare, but he also knew that he was hired for a reason. 

They made their way through the shopping district and arrived outside The Red Chair. Derek gallantly held the door open for Lydia, who pat his arm as she strode inside. Derek took a deep breath, steeled himself, and followed her inside. He’d been in The Red Chair many a time, sitting in the waiting area while Lydia got whatever it was done. 

“Lydia!” Karina, the receptionist, stepped around the desk and wrapped Lydia in a hug.

“Amazon princess!” Lydia replied as she returned the hug. 

“Flattery gets you everywhere,” Karina said. “So, looks like you’re down for cut, style and manicure.”

“You would be correct,” Lydia said.

Derek tried not to flinch as Karina’s gaze slid over to him, sizing him up.

“We’ve got Derek here on the schedule too,” Karina said with a sly smile. “With Shan.”

“Perfect, she’s just who I had in mind when I booked the appointment,” Lydia said.

“I feel like I should be terrified,” Derek deadpanned.

“Nah, Shan’s awesome and does great work,” Karina replied. “Mel and Shan are both waiting in the back.”

“I know the way,” Lydia said, motioning for Derek to follow her back through the salon.

“Of course you do,” Derek muttered as he followed Lydia through the salon towards the back. He didn’t necessarily feel nervous, but he felt a little off balance, out of his comfort level. When they reached the back of the salon and Lydia greeted her stylist with a smile, Derek hung back a bit.

“Mel, take the damn headphones out and greet me like real human,” Lydia said, poking her stylist in the shoulder.

“You know I work better with music,” Mel replied, but obediently took his earphones out and gave Lydia a hug. “You’re looking stunning as always. Who’s tall, dark and dangerously good looking?”

“That’s Derek,” Lydia replied. “He’s here for an appointment with Shan.”

“This is mine?” A woman with a bright purple fauxhawk came out from the back, popping gum as she walked.

“He’s all yours,” Lydia said, winking at Derek.

“Sweet,” Shan said, approaching Derek and walking around him in a slow circle. “Virgin?”

“Excuse me?” Derek spun around and stared at Shan. “That is none of your busi-”

“Color, you a color virgin?” Shan asked, her eyes twinkling. “Because around here I am the master of color.”

Derek fought against the blush rising in his cheeks. “I’ve never colored my hair,” he muttered.

“Just what I wanted to hear,” Shan purred.

“She’s going to have a blast,” Lydia commented, which made Mel chuckle as he shoved his iPod into his back pocket.

“Yeah, she is,” Mel replied, wrapping an arm around Lydia’s shoulders. “Come on, let’s get started.” Mel led Lydia off to the wash sinks, which left Derek alone with Shan.

“Cop a squat,” Shan said to Derek. “And we’ll get started.”

Derek eased himself into the chair, hands gripping the armrests as the cape was wrapped around his neck. He felt supremely out of his element.

“It’s not the dentist,” Shan said, shaking her head as she rolled her cart closer. “It’s not going to hurt. Might smell a bit, but it won’t hurt.”

Derek just sighed, closing his eyes as he felt Shan tug gently at his hair, then felt the cold dye seep into his scalp. A soft chuckle grabbed his attention, and he opened his eyes to find Lydia smiling at him.

“You look relaxed,” Lydia commented, motioning for Mel to turn her chair so she could watch Derek while Mel worked.

“I feel silly,” Derek muttered.

“The price for beauty,” Shan commented as she folded the last foil, and tapped Derek on the head with the comb. “You’ll sit like this for a bit.”

“Fantastic,” Derek replied.

“Don’t be a baby,” Lydia said. “Pouting doesn’t become you.”

“Brooding does,” Mel interjected. “Brooding definitely becomes you.”

Lydia laughed. “You don’t know him like I do,” she said.

Mel eyed Derek appreciatively. “I’d like to,” he replied as he worked, carefully combing and trimming Lydia’s hair.

“Sorry, he’s mine,” Lydia commented, smiling at Derek.

“Too bad,” Mel replied.

Derek closed his eyes and tried to tune out Lydia and Mel’s chatter. When Shan finally came to get him, he was relieved … until he sat back down in front of the mirror and saw his hair. He managed to keep quiet as Shan cut, but he couldn’t stop staring at the bright blonde pieces scattered throughout his hair.

“That looks perfect,” Lydia said, moving to stand next to Derek.

“It’ll fade a little after a wash or two,” Shan replied as she ran product through Derek’s hair. 

“Good work, Shan,” Mel said.

“I know,” Shan replied smugly, removing Derek’s cape with a flourish.

“I’m gonna get it on Monday at work,” Derek muttered, reaching up to touch his hair.

“Don’t mess up my work,” Shan said, smacking Derek’s hand.

“Come on, we’ve got another appointment before we hit the shops,” Lydia said, giving Mel and Shan each a hug before dragging Derek through the salon.

The next appointment wasn’t completely horrible. Derek put his foot down at having his nails actually painted, but the rest was nice - the hand massage was almost magical. Lydia and her manicurist Danielle chatted excitedly about what designs they could put on Lydia’s nails, what colors they could use. Derek was pleased that his manicurist, Angie, simply buffed and trimmed his nails, adding in that magical hand massage. Even though he knew Lydia was footing the bill, he tipped Angie well - she deserved it.

Once they were done and back out on the street, the rest of the day was spent moving from shop to shop, trying on clothes and arguing about how much Lydia wanted to spend on Derek. Lydia managed to talk Derek into three new whole outfits, including shoes and a new leather jacket. No matter that Derek didn’t know where he’d wear all the new things, Lydia had insisted.

At dinner that night, still in the city, Lydia commented on his social life, or lack thereof.

“I go out,” Derek said.

“You see clients,” Lydia corrected.

“Well yeah, but I also go out,” Derek said. “I hang out with people from work, I even go play pool with Jordan on occasion. Boyd and I go running and he, Erica and I have gone rock climbing. But thank you for your concern,”

“What about a girlfriend, or boyfriend,” Lydia said.

“With this side job? Not really in the plans,” Derek admitted.

“You won’t have this job forever,” Lydia said. 

“For the foreseeable future,” Derek replied. “Peter’s care is expensive and this helps close the gap. So, unless his situation deteriorates and he passes, I’ll do everything I can to keep him comfortable.”

“You’re a good man, Derek Hale,” Lydia replied. “Stubborn as hell, but a good man.”

* * * 

The email from Braeden had surprised him. Braeden’s sessions were few and far between; as a Federal Marshall, her job took her all over the country for long stretches of time. Derek normally saw her once every couple of months, when her job brought her in the vicinity of Beacon Hills. She was the only client that Derek saw at his own place, as she didn’t actually have a place for Derek to meet her at. So Derek left his front door unlocked and got the house ready for his client.

“Yo D!” Braeden called as she let herself inside Derek’s house.

Derek laughed and made his way into the living room. “Long time, no see,” he said, wrapping her in a hug and kissing her cheek.

“What’s this?” Braeden said, giving Derek’s hair a playful tug.

Derek blushed and swatted her hand away. “One of my other clients decided to treat me,” he said. “It’s faded in the last month since I got it done.”

“It looks good,” Braeden said. “Get teased about it?”

“Endlessly for the first week,” Derek admitted. “Come on, we’re all set up in the backyard.” He grabbed the bag off her shoulder and dropped it by the couch as he led her out to the backyard where he’d set up a sunset yoga session. His backyard was a haven; tall trees blocked the view from any nosy neighbors and he’d taken great care with the lawn and the garden. He even had a fire pit on the patio, with a roaring fire to add a little heat to the fast cooling air. Yoga mats were spread on the grass and the speaker system wired into the backyard played quiet music.

“I’m already feeling less stressed,” Braeden admitted as she kicked off her shoes and padded onto the lawn.

“That’s the point,” Derek said as he stripped down to just his yoga pants and joined Braeden on the grass. “You specifically asked for a de-stressing session.” He pressed a kiss to her cheek before stepping onto his mat and leading her in a session of restorative yoga.

“That was just what I needed,” Braeden breathed when the session was over, sprawled out on her mat and staring up at the sky.

“Night’s not over yet,” Derek replied as he rolled up his mat and dropped it on the patio. “I’m assuming you grabbed something to eat on the way here, so you have two choices; massage or hot bath.”

“I can’t pick both?” Braeden asked with a pout. “I’ll pay extra.”

Derek crossed the backyard and reached down to help Braeden stand. “I wasn’t really going to make you choose,” he admitted with a shrug. “I have the massage table set up in the guest room.”

“And I can use your ultra large bathtub?” Braeden said. “The one that fits both you and me comfortably?”

“Yes, we can use my tub,” Derek agreed, tugging her back into the house.

“You’re the best ever,” Braeden breathed.

“I know,” Derek replied, laughing when Braeden smacked him playfully on the ass. Once in the guest room, Derek waited for Braeden to strip down and climb onto the massage table, before covering her with a light towel, turning the lights down and going to work. 

“You have the best hands ever,” Braeden groaned.

“Even though this massage has got to be killing you?” Derek asked as he worked. “Because your muscles are like rocks right now.”

“It’s a good hurt,” Braeden replied.

Derek just chuckled and kept working until he’d worked out all the kinks he could. “Just lay there while I run the bath,” he said.

“So not going to be a problem,” Braeden mumbled. “Feel like jelly.”

Derek shook his head as he padded to the master bathroom. Like the backyard, he’d taken pride in making sure his bedroom and bathroom were just how he wanted. The bathroom had a floor to ceiling shower with a rain showerhead, as well as an extra large clawfoot tub that he made sure could fit two people comfortably before purchasing it. He ran hot water, adding a bit of sandalwood oil before turning the water off and going back to collect Braeden.

“I never asked how you’re doing,” Braeden said, snuggling into Derek’s arms as he carried her from the guest room to the bathroom. As a Federal Marshall, it was Braeden’s job to be a hardass so when she was with Derek, she enjoyed being catered to a little.

“I’m doing good,” Derek replied. “Job is going well, I have some semblance of a social life with some of the other rangers and some of the deputies. Peter’s the same, no change, which is fine because I have a steady stream of customers.”

“You seeing anyone?” Braeden asked, hissing a bit as Derek assisted her into the tub.

“Nope,” Derek said as he tugged off his pants and slid into the tub behind Braeden.

“Why not?” Braeden turned a bit, resting her cheek on Derek’s chest.

“Because I can’t afford to have one while I have this side job,” Derek replied. “Why this sudden interest in my love life?”

“Because you deserve someone,” Braeden replied. “You’re the nicest guy I know, and you deserve to have someone special in your life.”

“You’re special and you’re in my life,” Derek said with a smile, kissing Braeden’s hair gently. “All my clients are special. You guys aren’t just a job to me, you know. You all mean something to me.”

“And that’s super sweet, but you need someone who is just yours,” Braeden said. “All of us, all your clients, we all belong to someone or something else. We’re only yours part time. You need someone that’s yours full time. “

Braeden’s words stuck with Derek long after she’d left the next morning. Did he really need someone who was his full time?

* * * 

Stiles was Derek’s most laidback clients. He was really easy to please and normally just wanted someone to play video games with late at night when he had trouble falling asleep, and then make him waffles and talk comic books. The one problem Derek had with Stiles was that his most laidback client normally made last minute appointments. Case in point, he’d emailed Derek earlier in the day asking for an appointment that night. Luckily it was a Friday night and Derek had weekends off.

“You’re infuriating, did you know that?” Derek said as he stepped into Stiles’ apartment.

“You still totally love me,” Stiles said around a bite of pizza.

“Not in the least,” Derek said, tone fond. He dropped his overnight bag just inside the door and padded across the living room, plopping down on the couch next to Stiles.

“Liar.” 

“Prove it,” Derek replied as he snagged a piece of pizza and picked up the controller Stiles handed him.

“Asshole,” Stiles muttered.

They played video games in silence for a while, until Derek broke the silence. “Insomnia again?” he asked gently.

“Dad’s working long hours, I’ve got finals coming up,” Stiles mumbled. “Just really stressed.”

“It happens,” Derek replied simply as they continued to play. “When was the last time you slept?”

“A full REM cycle? Night before last,” Stiles admitted.

Derek stopped playing and looked over at Stiles. “Okay, we’re done playing,” he said, ignoring Stiles’ protests and turning off the game. He stood and pulled Stiles up, tugging him towards the bedroom.

“Why Mr. Hale, are you trying to seduce me?” Stiles teased.

“Don’t be an asshole,” Derek replied. “You need sleep, Stiles.”

“I’ll get it eventually,” Stiles said with a shrug.

Derek shook his head as he turned down the bed and turned off the lights. “You’ve got finals coming up and you’re not sleeping,” he said. “You need to be at full mental strength, Stiles.” 

“Aw see, you do care,” Stiles replied.

“Just get in bed,” Derek said, waiting until Stiles had climbed under the covers before sliding in behind him. He wrapped his arms around Stiles and pulled him close, covering them both with the blankets. “Okay now close your eyes.”

“Closing my eyes isn’t the problem,” Stiles muttered but complied with Derek’s request.

“Now, I want you to breathe with me,” Derek murmured. “Breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth.” He took slow deep breaths, watching to make sure Stiles was doing what he asked. 

“I know how to breathe, too,” Stiles mumbled.

Derek smacked Stiles gently on the ass. “Hush and listen. Now, I want you to visualize the Preserve, not on one of the paths, but deeper in the Preserve. It’s a little cold … you can smell the moisture in the air ... hear the drops of water hitting the leaves ... feel the nip in the air as you walk deeper and deeper into the Preserve.”

Derek heard Stiles give a soft sigh and smiled. He ran his hand up and down Stiles’ arm, trying to get him to relax, to shut his brain off.

“It’s not quite afternoon, but getting there,” Derek continued. “You can see sunlight filtering through the trees, can hear the crunch of the leaves under your feet.” He reached up and brushed some hair off Stiles’ forehead. “Feel the warmth of the sun on your face, listen to the overwhelming silence of the Preserve … “

Slowly, after what felt like hours, Derek felt Stiles relax under Derek’s gentle attention. “How are you feeling, oh master of closing your eyes and breathing?” he asked, tone teasing.

Derek expected to hear a snarky comeback from his client, so when all he heard was silence he glanced down and just barely contained his laughter when he saw Stiles fast asleep, face serene, mouth hanging open. He pressed a soft kiss to Stiles’ temple and closed his eyes, quickly falling asleep.

Derek woke the next morning to find that Stiles had turned into a spider monkey overnight. He laid flat on his back, but Stiles was half on top of him, head on Derek’s shoulder, arm wrapped possessively around Derek’s torso, one of legs between Derek’s.

Derek glanced at the clock and saw that it was almost 10am - they had slept at least ten hours. He carefully extricated himself from the bed, smiling at Stiles’ soft whimper, and padded to the kitchen to make breakfast. He moved around the kitchen quietly, not wanting to wake Stiles as he began to make waffles. He’d barely plated one when he heard the shuffling of feet.

“Food?” Stiles asked sleepily.

“Waffles,” Derek said, motioning to the plate on the kitchen island.

“Miracle worker,” Stiles replied as he climbed onto one of the stools and proceeded to cover his waffle in butter and powdered sugar before eating it greedily.

Derek plated a waffle for himself and dropped into a stool next to Stiles. “Nah, I just know some techniques,” he said. “They just worked fast on you because you were already at the point of exhaustion.”

“I still say miracle worker,” Stiles said between bites. “And a great cook.”

“Waffles are easy,” Derek said.

“Oh hey, I meant to talk to you about something last night,” Stiles said. “But I got distracted by this hot guy who dragged me to bed.”

“Funny,” Derek replied, snagging Stiles’ plate to get him a second waffle. “What did you want to talk to me about?”

“So, my best friend Scott,” Stiles started.

“The one in veterinary school, right?” Derek asked.

“Yeah, that one,” Stiles replied. “Anyway, his girlfriend just broke up with him and moved across the county to live with some douchebag in some commune in New York.”

“And?” Derek prompted as he handed Stiles his plate back.

“Well, he needs some companionship and I think you’d be perfect,” Stiles said. “I talked to him about it and he’s totally open to it.”

“Okay, well give him my email and he can reach out to me,” Derek said.

“No dude, he’s like totally embarrassed,” Stiles said. “He doesn’t want anyone finding out that he’s doing this. And I, being the awesome friend I am, offered to set up an appointment for him.”

“Well … “ Derek trailed off and looked down at his plate. It wasn’t how he did things. He needed specific details from the client, things that helped him understand what they needed.

“Look, I even got him to fill out that form for you,” Stiles said, jumping off his stool and going into the living room, coming back into the kitchen and waving a piece of paper. 

Derek sighed and took the paper from Stiles’ hands, reading the typed answers carefully. Everything looked in order, and there was even a requested date and time of the first appointment with a couple of suggestions of activities he wanted to do. “Everything looks in order,” he said slowly.

“See?” Stiles replied, stabbing his waffle with his fork. “So what do you say? Help a brother out?”

Derek sighed, folded the paper and pocketing it, nodding at Stiles. “Fine, I’ll take the appointment.”

* * * 

Derek glanced down at his phone, making sure he had the address right. He glanced back up at the house, adjusted his backpack and headed up the walk, ascending the porch and ringing the doorbell.

“Hang on!” A voice called from inside the house. “I’ll be right there!”

The front door opened and Derek swallowed as he caught sight of who he assumed was Stiles’ friend Scott. The man had short, unruly hair, striking features and was wearing a pair of sweatpants and a wife beater. 

“Scott McCall?” Derek said hesitantly.

“That’s me. What can I do for you?”

“I’m Derek. Derek Hale.”

“Okay,” Scott said slowly. “What can I do for you?”

Derek adjusted his backpack again and frowned a bit. “I’m here for an appointment,” he replied. “You gave the paperwork to Stiles who gave it to me …” He watched as a confused look spread across Scott’s face and sighed. “And you have no idea what I’m talking about.”

“No dude, sorry,” Scott said. “I didn’t make any kind of appointment. What did Stiles give you?”

“A headache,” Derek muttered, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Stiles gave me a headache.”

“I’m sorry, man,” Scott said. “Do you need to use the phone or something?”

“No, I have Stiles’ number and I’m going to give him an earful right now,” Derek said, tugging his phone out of his pocket. He dropped his backpack on the porch, not realizing the contents had spilled out as he paced the porch. “Stiles, this is Derek. I’m here at Scott’s place and he had no idea why I was here. You have some explaining to do. Call me back.”

“Hey, um, Derek?” Scott said as Derek pocketed his phone. “You have all my favorite foods here, including the lemon Oreos.”

“Oh, yeah,” Derek said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m sorry for the misunderstanding here.”

“What exactly was the misunderstanding?” Scott asked, crouching down to pack Derek’s backpack back up.

Derek crouched down next to Scott, grabbing the food and shoving it back into the backpack. “I provide a … unique service,” he explained. “Stiles is a client of mine and he told me that your girlfriend had just broken up with you and you were feeling lonely -”

“Shit, are you a hooker?” Scott interrupted loudly.

“Say it louder, I don’t think people in the next town heard you,” Derek snapped, then groaned and rubbed his face, exasperated. “No, I’m not a hooker. I like to think of myself as a domestic escort.”

“A domestic … “

“When I go to Stiles’ house, we play videogames and eat pizza,” Derek said. “The last time I was there, we ate pizza and then I helped him fall asleep. He normally makes his appointments when he’s suffering from insomnia.”

“So, what were you going to do?” Scott asked. “I mean, you came all the way over here.”

“Well, based on the form Stiles gave me,” Derek started, “I was going to make fajitas and homemade guacamole and then for dessert I was thinking we could make ice cream sundaes and then maybe watch ‘Gleaming the Cube’.”

“That,” Scott said slowly, “sounds like an epic night.”

Derek chuckled a bit and nodded. “I try,” he said. “But you didn’t actually make the appointment or pay, that was probably Stiles. So don’t feel pressured to do this at all.”

“Well, you came all the way over here,” Scott said. “And I’m just studying for a test in a couple of days.”

“Studying or reviewing?” Derek asked. “Because if you’re actually studying, then I’ll leave you be. Review is less strenuous on the mind.”

“I already did the intense study session,” Scott said. “This is just making sure I remember everything. You can come in, if you want.”

Derek shouldered his backpack and followed Scott into the house. “Nice place,” he commented. “Cozy.”

“It’s my mom’s,” Scott replied. “Can’t really afford to live on my own while going to school.” He glanced over his shoulder at Derek and grinned. “She’s not home, my mom. She’s on a date with Stiles’ dad. Won’t be home tonight.”

“That would be awkward,” Derek admitted.

“Why, she one of your clients?” Scott said, eyes twinkling.

“No,” Derek said, frowning. “I think I’d remember having a mother as a client.”

“Good to know,” Scott replied, leading Derek into the kitchen. “I don’t really know my way around the kitchen, but you’re welcome to use it. I’ll just go put my school stuff away.”

After Scott left the kitchen, Derek set his backpack down and began unloading everything. He was still angry with Stiles for tricking him, and Scott, but Scott seemed like a laidback guy and didn’t appear angry at his friend’s subterfuge. He set everything out on the counter and began rummaging through the cupboards, finding what he needed to make dinner. He figured his normal procedure of cooking in his underwear might not go over that well, so he just put his apron on and began working on the fajitas.

“Damn, it smells good in here,” Scott said as he wandered back into the kitchen. “Like, really good.”

Derek chuckled as he moved between the stove and the kitchen island. “Hopefully it tastes as good as it smells,” he said.

“Pretty sure it’s gonna taste great, man,” Scott said, grabbing some plates from one of the cupboards. He set them on the island and waited patiently for Derek to finish cooking.

“Dinner is served,” Derek said a few minutes later, dishing everything up. “Where did you want to eat?”

“Right here’s fine,” Scott said. “No need for fancy.” He grabs some forks and napkins and passes one of each to Derek.

“Works for me,” Derek said, digging into dinner. He chuckled when, after taking his first bite, Scott moaned softly.

“Fuck,” Scott said slowly. “This is fan-fucking-tastic!”

“Glad you think so,” Derek replied with a grin. 

“Seriously, I can’t cook like this,” Scott said. “And I’ll deny ever saying it, but I don’t think my mom can, either.”

Derek snorted and shook his head. “I’m sure your mother is a great cook,” he said.

“Her fajitas don’t taste like this,” Scott said. 

The rest of the dinner passed companionably. Derek and Scott chatted about Scott’s class load, Derek’s job, likes, dislikes, music, movies, just getting to know each other. Derek felt at ease with Scott, which was unusual. Normally his first meetings with new clients didn’t go as smoothly - first meetings were normally exceedingly awkward and uncomfortable.

When they had both finished dinner, Scott offered to clean up. “You cooked, I’ll clean,” he said.

“I normally clean up,” Derek said. “Part of the … experience.”

“Not this time,” Scott replied, grabbing his and Derek’s plates and going to the sink. He whistled as he worked, pausing to grab the pans and utensils Derek had used to cook so he could clean them as well.

“At least direct me to where stuff is so I can get dessert started,” Derek said, following Scott’s directions and getting bowls and spoons and other things so they could make their sundaes. He opened the lemon Oreos and set them on the counter, chuckling when he saw Scott grab three of them.

“I love these things,” Scott said as he popped all three lemon Oreos into his mouth.

“Apparently so,” Derek replied as he fixed himself a sundae. “Still up for the movie?”

“Gleaming the Cube, right?” Scott asked. “Man, I haven’t watched that in years! Christian Slater classic! Let me go get everything set up.”

Derek grabbed their sundaes and followed Scott out to the living room, setting their bowls on the coffee table and grabbing the movie out of his backpack. He tossed it to Scott before settling down on the far end of the couch and grabbing his sundae.

Scott got everything going and flopped down on the couch next to Derek, grabbing his own sundae and tucking his feet underneath him as the movie began. “Damn, I love this movie,” he said.

Derek glanced over at Scott and smiled - his enthusiasm was infectious. He was surprised that Scott chose to sit so close to him, but didn’t really mind. Scott was cute, smart, funny and genuinely enjoyable to be around. Derek secretly hoped Scott would forgive his best friend and make another appointment.

When the movie was finished, Derek took the sundae dishes into the kitchen while Scott put the DVD back and turned off the tv. He met Scott back in the entryway, backpack slung over his shoulder.

“This was a lot of fun,” Scott said, rubbing the back of his neck. “It was a break I didn’t really know I needed, so thanks.”

“Well, technically I guess you should thank Stiles for setting all this up,” Derek said. “But he’s on my shit list right now so nevermind.”

Scott laughed. “But you’re the one who made awesome fajitas and brought my favorites for sundaes and brought Gleaming the Cube to watch. It was an epic night, man.”

“Glad you enjoyed it,” Derek said.

“I really did,” Scott replied, tugging the front door open for Derek. “So, maybe I’ll see you around?”

“Yeah,” Derek said, giving Scott a smile. “It’s a small town, we’re bound to run into each other again.”

“Right,” Scott said. “So … goodnight, Derek.”

Derek adjusted his backpack and stepped out onto the front porch. “Goodnight, Scott,” he murmured.

* * *

It took three days for Stiles to return Derek’s call. 

“You’re an asshole,” Derek said the moment he picked up the phone.

“Hello to you, too,” Stiles replied. “And I never said I wasn’t.”

“Do you know how embarrassing that was?” Derek said. “Showing up on his doorstep and he had no clue what was going on.”

“But he let you in, right?” Stiles said. “You got to do your thing?”

“Yes,” Derek admitted. “Why didn’t you just tell me?”

“Because then you wouldn’t have gone,” Stiles replied. “And Scott really did need it. He’s been so down on losing Kira, and with school ramping up to finals, he needed a night to just forget.”

“You should have told me,” Derek said.

“I know better than to tell you,” Stiles said. “Did he make another appointment?”

“Nope,” Derek said. “He said he’d see me around.”

“Oh,” Stiles said softly. “Hey, I am sorry about not telling you. I just, wanted to do something nice for my friend.”

Derek sighed and rubbed his face. “Apology accepted,” he said. “Just don’t do it again.”

“Promise,” Stiles said. “So … can I make an appointment? For next Friday?”

“Planning in advance, I’m impressed,” Derek replied. “Yeah, I can pencil you in.”

“You’re the best,” Stiles said.

* * * 

Grocery shopping in a small town like Beacon Hills was always a social event. if Derek went grocery shopping on a Sunday, it took him at least an hour and a half because he got stopped at least three times by his neighbors or a concerned citizen asking about something they’d seen in the Preserve.

Derek made his way through the aisles of the grocery store, stocking up on all the necessities - bread, milk, eggs, razors - and picking up some things for his upcoming appointments. He had an appointment with Isaac coming up, so he made sure to get the ingredients for homemade mac and cheese. He also had an evening appointment with Chris, so he threw stuff in his cart for lemon chicken and au gratin potatoes.

As he reached the frozen food section he caught sight of Jordan Parrish, and hesitated. He’d hung out with Jordan before, in a big group with other park rangers and other deputies either playing lacrosse out in the park or pool at the local sports bar. He’d had quite a bit of fun, and he couldn’t deny the fact that Jordan was attractive. And smart, and kind and funny … 

“Derek!” Jordan called, catching sight of Derek.

“Hey, Jordan,” Derek said, pushing his cart down the aisle to stand by Jordan.

“How’s things?” Jordan asked. 

“Can’t complain,” Derek replied.

“Yeah, same,” Jordan said.

Derek bit his lip and hesitated for a second. “Okay, so this is probably going to seem like it’s coming from left field,” he started. “I was wondering if you wanted to go out for dinner sometime?”

“Oh,” Jordan said. “Oh … Derek … um … I would totally say yes, but I’m seeing someone.” He rubbed the back of his neck shyly. “I guess I never mentioned it all the times we hung out with the rest of the guys, but Danny and I have been together for about six months now.”

Derek felt his stomach drop and the embarrassment kick in. “It’s okay,” he said as he started to push his cart past Jordan. 

“I’m really sorry, man,” Jordan said.

“Don’t even worry about it,” Derek said, pushing his cart even faster. I’ll see you at the next lacrosse game, yeah?”

“Yeah, sure man,” Jordan said.

Derek swallowed down the embarrassment as he rushed through the grocery store and checked out. He’d probably missed getting a whole bunch of things, but he just wanted to get out of there, away from Jordan. He rushed to his truck and loaded everything up before practically speeding home.

“Of course he’s got a boyfriend,” Derek muttered to himself as he put all his groceries away. “Someone like Jordan? Gorgeous, smart, funny, athletic … of course he got snapped up.”

Derek sighed as he put the groceries away and stored the reusable bags away before flopping down on the couch. He’d taken a chance and got turned down - he felt like a complete and utter loser.

“Something’s gotta change,” Derek murmured.

* * * 

“Something’s wrong,” Chris commented as they sat at the dining room table.

“Nothing,” Derek replied, pouring himself another glass of wine.

“Liar,” Chris said, taking Derek’s glass of wine away. “What’s wrong?”

Derek sighed and rubbed his face. “I put myself out there and got turned down,” he muttered. “Asked a friend out and it turns out he’s already got a boyfriend.”

“So? FInd someone else you’re interested in and ask them out,” Chris replied. “Before Vi -” he swallowed a couple of times. “Before Victoria, I got turned down all the time.”

“I don’t believe you,” Derek murmured. “Too hot to get turned down.”

Chris chuckled and passed the glass of wine back to Derek. “Believe it,” he said. “I was an utter dork when I was younger, and struck out more often than I’ll admit outside this house. So, put yourself out there, find someone else and ask them out. Don’t worry too much about striking out.”

“Thanks, Dad,” Derek teased.

Chris leaned in and pressed a kiss to Derek’s temple, jolting a little when Derek’s cellphone rang.

“Sorry, I normally turn the sound off, but my uncle hasn’t been doing well,” Derek said, jumping off the chair and hurrying to grab his phone out of his backpack. “This is Derek. Oh … yes, I understand … I can be there in the morning. No, thank you very much.” He ended the call and dropped his phone back into his backpack.

“What’s wrong?” Chris asked.

Derek jumped as he realized that Chris had stood and moved to stand behind him. “Oh, um,” he turned and looked at Chris. “My uncle just … passed away.”

“Oh Derek,” Chris whispered, pulling Derek in for a hug. “I’m so sorry.”

Derek hesitated for a moment before sinking into the hug. “I don’t know how to feel right now,” he whispered, face buried in Chris’ shoulder. 

“Be sad, be angry, be happy, all these emotions are okay,” Chris whispered, rubbing Derek’s back.

“I just … he was so sick, just laying there,” Derek mumbled. “I’d go and visit him,but he just wasn’t there … seven years, he was like this for seven years. On one hand I’m glad he’s at peace but … now I’m alone.” Derek tried to choke back a sob, and failed.

“Shh, it’s okay,” Chris whispered, continuing to rub Derek’s back.

Derek suddenly couldn’t stop crying, sobs wracking his body as he clung to Chris. He didn’t even register moving, couldn’t remember Chris walking him up the stairs to the guest room, or laying down on the bed. He blinked a couple of times, taking a few shuddering breaths as he finally registered where he was, noticing Chris at the end of the bed removing his shoes.

“Should go home,” Derek whispered, wiping at his face with the back of his hand.

“You are in no condition to go anywhere,” Chris replied, kicking off his own shoes and crawling into bed with Derek.

“I’ll -” Fresh tears began to fall again and Derek wiped his face once more. “I’ll give you a refund for this.”

“Fuck the refund,” Chris growled, pulling Derek close and kissing his forehead. “You just sleep, you hear? Get some sleep and we’ll deal with all of this, I promise.”

Derek swallowed and nodded, pressing his face to Chris’ chest, wrapping his arms tight around Chris.

“And you listen to me,” Chris murmured. “And listen close. You. Are not. Alone. Do you hear me?”

“I hear you,” Derek mumbled. 

“What did I say?” Chris whispered.

“‘m not alone,” Derek whispered back.

“Good.” Chris pressed a kiss to Derek’s hair. “You are not alone.”

* * * 

The next few days passed in a haze for Derek. He put in for time off from work to handle everything, went to the nursing home and fill out paperwork, then to the mortuary and the cemetery. He put a small obituary in the Beacon Hills Gazette, giving them date and time of the burial, not that he expected anyone to attend.

He’d set the burial for sunset, and as he made his way through the cemetery to where Peter would be buried, his braced himself for sitting through the burial alone. But when he reached the mausoleum, he was stunned to find Chris, Isaac, Lydia, Jennifer, Kali, Braeden, Stiles and Scott all sitting in front of the pedestal, waiting for him.

“What … “ Derek stopped walking and stared at them all.

“We all saw the obituary,” Lydia said as she stood and walked over to him. “We wanted to support you.” She reached for his hand and tugged him over to the waiting seat.

“We figured no one else would come,” Stiles said.

“Stiles, don’t be rude,” Scott said, smacking his friend on the arm.

“Just speaking the truth, man,” Stiles replied.

“We just want to be here for you,” Jennifer murmured.

“Thanks you guys,” Derek mumbled as he sat down.

“Figured all your other clients would be here, and I wanted to size up the competition,” Braeden said, trying to add some levity.

“Ulterior motives, I get it,” Derek replied with a small smile. “Thanks again, you guys. Having you all here really helps.”

The officiant arrived and said a few words for Peter. Derek didn’t really remember what had been said, he just remembered that he’d been surrounded by people who cared for him. He remembered Chris’ shoulder brushing his, Lydia holding his hand. 

“All right, I made reservations at Maggiano’s,” Chris said when the burial was over.

“I’d really like to just -” Derek started.

“Suck it up, we’re not going to let you mope,” Stiles said.

“You’ll have plenty of time to mourn, but you need to be with people who care about you right now,” Isaac said softly.

Derek bit his lip and blinked back tears as he looked at his … friends. That word felt right, Derek decided. They’d long since stopped being clients - they were friends. “All right,” he whispered.

They stayed at the restaurant until closing, drinking wine and indulging in rich food. Derek couldn’t remember the last time he’d laughed so much - it was a nice feeling.

“When are you back on shift?” Chris asked Derek as they all headed back to their cars.

“Monday,” Derek replied.

“Want to go for a run tomorrow?” Chris asked. “Not as an appointment, just as friends.”

Derek swallowed and nodded. “I’d like that a lot,” he said.

“Want to see a movie tomorrow night? And maybe hit the arcade afterwards?” Isaac asked.

Derek nodded again, pulling Isaac in for a hug. “Yeah, I’d like that,” he murmured.

“Expect lots of random texts from me,” Braeden said, clapping Derek on the shoulder before climbing onto her motorcycle.

“We’re not going to let you wallow,” Lydia said. “We’re going into San Francisco next weekend, my treat.”

“And we’re totally going out for pizza and the batting cages or something, dude,” Stiles said. “Can’t get rid of us.”

“Beginning to realize that,” Derek said with a small smile. 

* * * 

To: clients  
From: dds@h.mail.com  
Subject: Discontinuation of Services

It is with both a heavy heart and great relief that I send this email. I started doing this as a way to earn some extra money.   
I gained more than just extra income, I gained some new friends. I know none of you will let it happen, but let’s not be strangers.   
I expect to keep hanging out with all of you at some point. You just won’t have to pay for it anymore. :) So, I’m canceling this email   
after I send this, but you all have my ‘real’ email. Use it, please. Hope to talk to you all and see you all soon.

It felt weird, not having appointments, not having to check that email. It took Derek a week to get used to it, the new sense of freedom.

He didn’t stop hanging out with any of his former clients either.

He and Chris regularly went running.

He and Jennifer (and sometimes Kali) met for coffee.

Lydia still dragged him to San Francisco to go shopping (and let Shan at his hair).

He dragged Isaac to the barbershop to get that mop handled, and then off to the movies to celebrate passing all his classes.

Braeden showed up and took him to the firing range and tried to teach him how to shoot a gun. It didn’t go too well, but they got a laugh out of it.

He and Stiles hit the video arcade and the pizzeria a couple of times.

The one person he hadn’t really seen was Scott. He didn’t actually expect to, given their first encounter, but he’d kind of hoped … 

He went to the grocery store, grabbing the necessities, not really paying attention to his surroundings. It proved to be a bit disastrous when he ran his cart into someone else’s cart. 

“Oh, I’m so sorry, I wasn’t paying attention,” Derek said, glancing up and smiling when he saw Scott standing there. “Hey, Scott, long time, no see.”

“Yeah,” Scott replied, rubbing the nape of his neck shyly. “I wanted to give you some space? Let you grieve a little.”

“You’re the only one,” Derek replied with a smile. “But that’s okay.”

“You’re doing okay?” Scott asked. “You’re back at work, I know that. Stiles said you stopped …”

“Yeah, I did,” Derek said. “Don’t really need the extra income anymore.”

“Right,” Scott replied. “Listen, um, I was wondering - and if you don’t want to, it’s fine - but I was wondering if you wanted - “

“Yes,” Derek said with a bright smile.

“You don’t even know what I was going to ask,” Scott protested.

“I’m guessing you were trying to ask me out,” Derek said. “I sound the same way when I try to ask someone out, so it was an educated guess. Am I right?”

“Yeah,” Scott mumbled, cheeks bright red. “Wait, yes?”

Derek chuckled and nodded. “Yeah, I’d like to go out with you,” he said.

“Oh, okay cool,” Scott said. “Um, when?”

Derek chuckled and motioned for Scott’s phone. “Here,” he said once he had it. “Why don’t you text me your schedule and let me know when you’re available, okay?”

“Yeah, sure thing,” Scott said excitedly. “I’ll totally text you.” He took his phone back and shoved it into his back pocket. “Um, I need to finish grocery shopping. Mom’s expecting me back home soon.”

“Sure,” Derek said, nodding.

“But I’ll totally text you,” Scott said. “Promise.” 

“I look forward to it,” Derek replied.

* * *

Derek and Scott traded texts for a few days, checking schedules and discussing date options. They finally decided on a Friday evening, dinner in Sacramento and movie at the local drive-in. Derek couldn’t remember the last time he’d been to a drive-in theater and it sounded like fun.

He took great care getting ready that Friday night, dressing in brown work boots, dark wash jeans and a green button up paired with a brown cargo jacket. He spent longer than necessary fixing his hair and took extra care trimming his facial hair. It had been so long since he’d been on an actual date, he hoped he didn’t fuck it up.

He’d offered to drive but Scott had been adamant - Scott had done the asking, so Scott would pick him up. Derek tried not to pace as he waited for Scott to pick him up, jumping a bit when the doorbell rang. He wiped his hands on his jeans, made sure he had his phone, wallet and house keys, and opened the front door, smiling at Scott.

“Hey,” Scott said.

“Hey,” Derek replied. “You look great.” And he did; Scott wore jeans and a pale blue sweater which made his skin look like caramel. Derek immediately felt like a sap after thinking that and frowned.

“If I look great, why are you frowning?” Scott asked.

“Sorry, I was thinking - it was silly,” Derek said. “You do look great. Blue really suits you.”

“Thanks,” Scott replied. “Um, are you ready to go?”

“Yep,” Derek said. “Sure you’re okay driving?”

“Definitely,” Scott said. “And my sound system’s probably better than whatever’s in that old clunker you’re driving,” he added, his tone teasing.

“My truck has a perfectly functioning sound system,” Derek replied with a laugh. “But I did agree that you can drive since you did the asking.”

“That’s right,” Scott said. “So … let’s go.”

Derek smiled and nodded, closing the door behind him and following Scott out to the car. He blushed a bit when Scott held the passenger door open for him - he couldn’t remember anyone ever doing that for him.

“You didn’t pick somewhere super fancy for dinner, did you?” Derek asked once the car was in motion. 

“Nah, I figure we’re both pretty laid back, so we’re going to a really cool burger joint in Sacramento,” Scott replied. “Their onion rings are huge.”

“Sounds great,” Derek replied. “How are you classes? Or are you out for summer?”

“I’m done for the summer - I have two more years and then I’ll have my doctorate in veterinary medicine. Dr. Deaton has already promised I can intern with him, and I already work there part time so it works out,” Scott replied. “I passed all my classes with As and Bs so all in all I’m doing really well.”

“That’s great, Scott,” Derek said. 

“What about you? How’s work going?” Scott asked.

“Well,” Derek replied. “With summer starting, we’re all a little more watchful - we’re getting more hikers and campers, so we’re on a little higher alert.”

“Makes sense,” Scott said. “Lots of teenagers too, making trouble.”

“Bet you and Stiles used to be that kind of teenager,” Derek teased.

“Mostly Stiles, but I went along for the ride,” Scott said, laughing.

“Sounds about right,” Derek replied.

“He’s a troublemaker, but he’s my best friend and he’s stood by me through a lot of shit,” Scott said as he parked the car.

“He’s a good guy,” Derek said. “Hope he finds someone to ground him, balance him out.”

“Me too,” Scott said as they headed into the restaurant and got seated. “All the food here is organic, the beef is steroid free, grass fed, best beef I’ve ever had.”

Derek chuckled at Scott’s enthusiasm. “Sounds delicious,” he said.

“It is, and their fries are amazing,” Scott said.

The waitress arrived, giving them menus and talking about their dinner specials and beers they had on tap. Derek only half listened, watching Scott instead. When the waitress left, Derek had still been staring when Scott glanced over. Derek blushed and ducked his head shyly. “Sorry,” he muttered.

“Did you hear anything the waitress said?” Scott asked, tone teasing.

“A little,” Derek said, cheeks still pink.

“That’s really flattering, and I don’t know if I deserve it,” Scott replied.

“You do,” Derek replied. “Wanna give me a rundown of what she said?”

Scott laughed and gave Derek a brief synopsis of what the waitress had said, telling him about the beers and the dinner specials. “So, you can pick something from that, or you can look at the menu,” Scott said when he was finished.

“Well, what are you getting?” Derek asked. “I’ll get something different and then we can share.”

“That’s a good idea,” Scott replied. “Just no trying to recreate ‘Lady and the Tramp’ … that never ends well.”

“So noted,” Derek said with a grin.

Meals were ordered and general small talk occurred while they waited and during the meal. They took turns asking each other questions, and by the time dinner was done, had veered into the inane.

“Angel or Spike?” Scott asked as they walked from the restaurant to his car.

“No,” Derek replied.

“No? Is that neither?” Scott unlocked the car and opened the passenger door for Derek.

“No, that’s an unfair question,” Derek said as he slipped into the passenger seat. He waited until Scott was in the car before he continued. “They’re completely different. I can’t choose between them.”

“Okay, which one would you want in your bed?” Scott asked.

“Spike,” Derek replied instantly.

“Amen,” Scott said, grinning at Derek before starting the car and heading off to the drive in theater.

Derek and Scott sang along to the radio and laughed at the stupid commercials as they headed towards the drive in. Once there, Scott paid for their tickets and drove to the specified lot and turning his radio to the right station.

“It’s been so long since I’ve been to a drive in, I’m used to having to hook the speaker on your car door or hook something to your antenna,” Derek admitted. “My parents used to take me and my sister.”

“Oh,” Scott said softly. “I … Stiles told me about what happened … I’m sorry.”

Derek gave Scott a soft smile and reached over, taking Scott’s hand in his and squeezing it gently. “Thank you,” he murmured. “It took a while to process everything, but I’m good.”

“I’m glad,” Scott replied softly. “You don’t mind the choice in movie, do you?”

“‘The Princess Bride’ is one of my favorite movies,” Derek said. “And a good first date movie. Very romantic.”

“I thought so,” Scott said.

Derek gave Scott’s hand another squeeze as the movie started, and held his hand during the whole movie. It felt nice, to be out on a date, to hold someone’s hand and just enjoy their company. He kept glancing from the movie screen over to Scott, and the back to the screen, and couldn’t help but laugh when he and Scott started reciting the movie line by line.

When the movie ended and all the cars began trickling out, Derek sighed softly. He actually didn’t want the night to end.

“I had a ton of fun,” Scott murmured as he started the car and began following all the other cars out of the lot.

“Me too,” Derek replied. “Can I see you next weekend?”

“I’d really like that,” Scott said as he drove them back to Derek’s place.

“My turn to pick the activities,” Derek said.

“Surprise me,” Scott replied as he came to a stop outside Derek’s place. He hopped out and ran over to the passenger door, opening it up for Derek. He took Derek’s hand in his and walked him to the front door.

“I think I can do that.” Derek pulled Scott in, claiming Scott’s lips in a sweet, almost chaste kiss. He slipped his hands under Scott’s sweater, fingers kneading Scott’s warm skin. He broke the kiss a few moments later, tugging Scott’s bottom lip with his teeth.

“D-definitely surprised,” Scott mumbled.

“Good,” Derek laughed and pulled away from Scott. “I should get inside - I’m on shift tomorrow.”

“All right,” Scott murmured, leaning in to kiss Derek again. “I’ll text you.”

“You’d better,” Derek said. “This has been an awesome night … I look forward to more awesome nights with you.”

“Likewise,” Scott replied, walking backwards down the porch, waving at Derek before practically skipping to his car.

Derek hummed as he let himself into his house, dropping his keys by the door, hanging his jacket in the closet. “Something’s definitely changed,” he murmured to himself as he headed to his bedroom. “Finally.”

* * * 

Epilogue: 5 Years Later

“Fuck,” Derek groaned, fingers digging into Scott’s hips as Scott thrust into him.

“‘s what I’m doing,” Scott panted, one hand wrapped around Derek’s cock.

“You’re … an asshole,” Derek moaned, arching into Scott’s touch, feeling himself already on the edge of orgasm. 

“Your asshole,” Scott breathed, leaning down and claiming Derek’s lips in a passionate kiss as he gave a hard thrust, coming moments later.

Derek came moments later, finally releasing his grip on Scott’s hips. “Yep, you’re mine, Dr. McCall,” he mumbled, giving Scott a playful smack on the ass. “Just like I’m yours.”

“Damn right,” Scott replied. He flopped down onto Derek, burying his nose in Derek’s neck. 

Derek chuckled, running his hands up and down Scott’s back. “Happy anniversary,” he murmured.

“Happy anniversary,” Scott replied.

“I got today off,” Derek murmured.

“What a coincidence, so did I,” Scott said, pressing a couple of kisses to Derek’s chest. He jolted a bit when Derek’s phone started beeping ...and beeping ...and beeping. “Shit, is your phone going to blow up?”

Derek laughed and reached over for his phone. “No, it’s everyone wishing us a happy anniversary.”

“Everyone?” Scott asked, leaning to look at Derek’s phone.

“Yep,” Derek replied. “Chris, Jennifer and Kali, Isaac, Braeden, Lydia, Stiles, even Parrish and Danny.”

“Aww they do care!” Scott said, chuckling.

Derek laughed and gave Scott a sweet kiss. Five years - they’d been together for five years, married for two. Both of them were such saps, they’d gotten married on the anniversary of their first date. And Derek couldn’t remember ever being happier. Life had thrown him some curveballs and for a while Derek thought he’d struck out but … he got Scott. 

He got his happy ending.

**Author's Note:**

> This started off back in October of 2014 as a conversation in a Dave & Buster's with Carrie (bleep0bleep), Erica (ericasuniverse) and Amanda (wearenotthings). It started off as talking about reverse strippers (someone who puts something on sexily) and ... turned into this instead. I hope everyone enjoys it!!
> 
> (PS, anon commenting is off due to harassment)


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